Song of Solomon 8:7 BSB

Song of Solomon 8:7

Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

Many waters cannot quench love, Neither can floods drown it: If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, He would utterly be contemned.

KJV

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

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Commentary

4 voices

Ambrose of Milan

On Jacob and the Blessed Life, 1.7.27-28 (397)

And so charity ought to be in us, that we may not be called back from Christ by any dangers. For it is written: 'Many waters cannot quench charity, neither can the floods drown it'; because love passes over the torrent. No storm, no deep peril, no fear of death or punishment can diminish the power of charity. In these things we are tested, in these things a happy life is found, even if it is overwhelmed by many dangers.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

Many waters - My love to thee cannot be taken off, either by terrors and afflictions, which are commonly signified in scripture by waters and floods; or by temptations and allurements.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

The overflowing of these waters will strike no damp upon it, but it will enable a man to rejoice in tribulation. Though he slay me, I will love him and trust in him. No waters could quench Christ's love to us, nor any floods drown it; he waded through the greatest difficulties, even seas of blood.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

Many waters - Neither common nor uncommon adversities, even of the most ruinous nature, can destroy love when it is pure; and pure love is such that nothing can procure it. If it be not excited naturally, no money can purchase it, no property can procure it, no arts can persuade it. How vain is the thought of old rich men hoping to procure the affections of young women by loading them with presents and wealth! No woman can command her affections; they are not in her power.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

21 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
מַ֣יִם	Ma.yim	waters	H4325 →
רַבִּ֗ים	ra.Bim	many	H7227 →
לֹ֤א	lo'	not	H3808 →
יֽוּכְלוּ֙	yu.khe.Lu	they are able	H3201 →
לְכַבּ֣וֹת	le.kha.Bot	to extinguish	H3518 →
אֶת־	'et-	<obj.>	H853 →
הָֽאַהֲבָ֔ה	ha.'a.ha.Vah	<the> love	H160 →
וּנְהָר֖וֹת	u.ne.ha.Rot	and rivers	H5104 →
לֹ֣א	lo'	not	H3808 →
יִשְׁטְפ֑וּהָ	yish.te.Fu.ha	they will overflow it	H7857 →
אִם־	'im-	if	H518 →
יִתֵּ֨ן	yi.Ten	he will give	H5414 →
אִ֜ישׁ	'ish	anyone	H376 →
אֶת־	'et-	<obj.>	H853 →
כָּל־	kol-	all	H3605 →
ה֤וֹן	Hon	[the] wealth of	H1952 →
בֵּיתוֹ֙	bei.To	house his	H1004 →
בָּאַהֲבָ֔ה	ba.'a.ha.Vah	for <the> love	H160 →
בּ֖וֹז	Boz	certainly <to despise>	H936 →
יָב֥וּזוּ	ya.Vu.zu	people will despise	H936 →
לֽוֹ׃ ס	lo	<to> it

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched;…
leads to
- Isaiah 41:10
  Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Joshua 1:9
  Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Psalms 66:12
  You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us into abundance.
- Psalms 23:4
  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
- Daniel 3:25–27
  “Look!” he exclaimed. “I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire—and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!”
Through
Proverbs 6:31
Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.
leads to
- Luke 19:8
  But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”
- Job 20:18
  He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.
- 2 Samuel 12:6
  Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”

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01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Song of Solomon

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Song of Solomon